Warriors to decide on White House visit 'when and if necessary'

The reigning champion Golden State Warriors addressed speculation about whether they will make the traditional visit to the White House, saying they "will make those decisions when and if necessary."

"Today is all about celebrating our championship," the team said in a statement Tuesday. "We have not received an invitation to the White House, but will make those decisions when and if necessary."

Shortly before the team issued its statement, Warriors owner Joe Lacob was asked about a potential White House visit during an interview with ESPN's First Take.

"I can't believe we're getting this question already," Lacob said. "But honestly, that's something we'll worry about at the time. That's a long time from now."

Questions about the Warriors' plans for a trip to Washington, D.C., arose just hours after they won their second NBA title in the last three years, when a CNBC analyst tweeted that the team unanimously decided to skip the White House visit.

Most of the Warriors, in the immediate aftermath of their Game 5 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers, have not publicly commented on whether they will make the trip.

Veteran forward David West, who has been outspoken in his disapproval of President Donald Trump, told The Undefeated's Marc Spears on Monday night that he "probably" will decline the opportunity.

"I don't know. I probably won't," West said. "But I'm going to enjoy this. They're going to have to get me down from this cloud. I can't describe it."

Warriors coach Steve Kerr expressed his disappointment with the election results last November, saying after the election that Trump regularly used "racist, misogynist, insulting words" during his campaign.

Later Tuesday, the CEO of the reigning Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins said his team would accept an invitation to the White House.

"The Pittsburgh Penguins would never turn down a visit to the White House and, if invited, we would go as a team," David Morehouse said Tuesday in a prepared statement obtained by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Members of the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots and national college football champion Clemson Tigers have visited the White House for championship celebrations since Trump took office.

The Undefeated's Marc Spears and The Associated Press contributed to this report.